Hitting the road to sign more travelers for TSA PreCheck

The company hired to sign travelers up for TSA PreCheck is sending two RVs on the road to enroll new members. (Morphotrust)

The Transportation Security Administration acknowledges that security lines at the nation's airports could be shorter and the agency could save money if more travelers were to sign up for an expedited screening program.

A private company hired to sign travelers for the program, TSA PreCheck, is trying to help out the cause by going mobile.

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The company, Morphotrust, is employing two recreational vehicles to travel the country and sign up travelers at businesses, universities and other locations.

The first RV was launched on the East Coast in September, and the second RV, which will focus on the West Coast, debuted last week. A schedule for the RV can be found at IdentoGo.com/rv.

Inside the vehicles, travelers can apply for TSA PreCheck, undergo a fingerprint scan and show identification — all the requirements to start the background check needed to qualify for the program.

Once accepted into the TSA PreCheck program, travelers can use special TSA screening lines that don't require fliers to remove their coats, shoes or belts. They also can keep their computers in their carry-on luggage during the security check.

More than 4 million travelers are registered for the PreCheck program, but TSA officials were hoping to sign up about 25 million fliers into TSA PreCheck and similar programs for international travelers by now.

The TSA charges an $85 fee to enroll into TSA PreCheck for five years but a university study recently suggested the federal agency could enroll 25 million frequent fliers free of charge and still save money on the screening process.